ENT Services

Balloon Sinuplasty for Chronic Sinusitis

Sinusitis Overview

Sinusitis affects 37 million people each year, making it one of the most common health problems in the U.S. It is more prevalent than heart disease and asthma and has a greater impact on quality of life than chronic back pain or congestive heart failure.

When you have acute or chronic sinusitis, the mucous membranes of your nose, sinuses and throat become inflamed, possibly from a pre-existing cold or allergies. Swelling obstructs the sinus openings and prevents normal mucus drainage, causing mucus and pressure to build up.

Symptoms include: drainage of a thick, yellow or greenish discharge from the nose or down the back of the throat; nasal obstruction or congestion; tenderness and swelling around the eyes, cheeks, nose and forehead; and/or a reduced sense of smell and taste.

Types of Sinusitis:

Depending on the duration of the symptoms, it can be classified into one of several types:

Acute (less than 4 weeks)
Subacute (4-12 weeks)
Chronic (more than 12 weeks)

If you experience 4 or more episodes of acute sinusitis per year, you could have Recurrent Acute Rhinosinusitis.

A Look into the Sinuses

The sinuses are hollow spaces in the skull (i.e. the frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid and maxillary) which serve to lighten the skull and give resonance to the voice. The purpose of the sinuses, which open into the nasal cavity, is to generate mucus to keep the nose from drying out during breathing and to trap unwanted materials so that they do not reach the lungs.

Each sinus has an opening that allows mucus to drain – this drainage is essential to keeping your sinuses working well and you healthy. Anything that obstructs that flow may cause a buildup of mucus and lead to a sinus infection.

Treatment Options

Sinus infections and pressure headaches can be so painful, it may be difficult to breathe and function during every day activities. If you suffer from chronic or recurrent acute sinusitis please contact us today.

Balloon Sinuplasty

Safe and effective, Balloon Sinuplasty is a minimally invasive, breakthrough technology used by our doctors to treat recurrent acute sinusitis patients, or chronic sinusitis patients, who have sinusitis symptoms that have not responded to sinus medications and therapies. Studies following chronic sinusitis patients report durable results lasting up to two years after the procedure.

In some areas, Balloon Sinuplasty can be performed right in the ENT doctor’s office under local anesthesia. The doctor begins by inserting a small, flexible balloon catheter into the nose to reach the inflamed sinus. The sinus balloon is slowly inflated to restructure the blocked nasal passage.

Unlike conventional sinus surgery, Balloon Sinuplasty preserves the normal anatomy of the sinuses and mucosal tissue, and does not require the removal of bone and tissue.

Unlike traditional sinus surgery, Balloon Sinuplasty requires no cutting and no removalof bone and tissue.

Balloon Sinuplasty (BSP) uses a small, flexible, balloon catheter to open up blocked sinus passageways and facilitate drainage of the mucus that builds up in patients suffering from chronic sinusitis symptoms.

Graphic of 4 steps of Balloon Sinuplasty 1 Intert balloon catheter 2 Inflate balloon catheter in sinus 3 Saline is sprayed into sinus 4 System is removed